


Heartstrings

by Gloryofroses19



Series: Ties That Bind [2]
Category: Hunters (TV 2020)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:33:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23511658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gloryofroses19/pseuds/Gloryofroses19
Summary: When her mother found out she was going out to dinner with Lonny, she responded with a prolonged pause before asking if it was a date. Shani told her that it was not but she knew it was only half the truth, things had shifted between them long before this moment.
Relationships: Lonny Flash/Original Female Character(s), Lonny Flash/Reader
Series: Ties That Bind [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1691758
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	Heartstrings

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place between Episode 9 and 10  
> This is a one-shot, however, it is also a companion piece to my series ‘Ties That Bind’ and takes place between Chapter 5 and 6.
> 
> Also shoutout to Bloodrecherry for being such a great help!

Noting that the flight had landed 30 minutes ago, Lonny adjusted in his seat as he watched the arrival’s exit.  
“Hey Shani, I have a surprise just for you!...you sound like a shitty salesman Flash.”  
Sighing, Lonny tried again, “You, me, dinner, tonight.” Rolling out his neck, Lonny licked his lips before beginning again, “Shani, we should, uh you know, grab dinner, like do our thing...stop.”  
Shaking his head, Lonny muttered to himself as he looked for his lighter, “You can fucking do this, you are the man who got Diane Keaton to show you her tits”.

Putting her sunglasses on, Shani bypassed an eldery couple as she made her way out of the JFK terminal. She didn’t necessarily have anywhere to be, but being behind slow walkers made her anxious and after spending four hours on a flight from Miami, she just wanted to be out of the airport. Breathing in the humidity free air, Shani began to move in the direction of the taxi line until she heard her name being called.  
Locating the source of the sound, Shani laughed as she saw a frazzled Lonny Flash making his way over to her.  
“You’d think after spending time with the alte kakers[1] in Florida, you would have slowed down your walking.”  
“Hi Lonny”  
“Hi Shani” Lonny responded with a matching smile before taking her orange floral luggage from her hand, “Come on, your chariot awaits.”  
Following him to a red Chevrolet Corvette, no doubt left over from Lonny’s wild days, Shani thanked him as he held open the passenger door for her. Turning in her seat, she watched him place her suitcase in the car because, although she trusted Lonny with her life, she didn’t trust him with her luggage. 

“So, how did you know what time my flight landed?” Shani thought back to the phone call she and Lonny had shared the night before and didn’t recall telling him what time her flight home was. As soon as Meyer was stabilized following the accident with the Colonel, she booked the first flight out of New York. She cared about Meyer but with a week off, all she really wanted was to be with her family who was vacationing in Florida. The whole summer had been an emotional journey and she needed time to relax.  
“I asked Roxy.” Lonny stated matter of factly as he merged the car onto the Belt Parkway West.  
“And she just told you?” Shani didn’t try to hide the tone of surprise from her voice, it was no secret that Roxy didn’t like to participate in any Lonny Flash antics.  
“I may have bribed her with a twenty.”  
Laughing at him, Shani shook her head at him “You could have just asked me, it would have saved you the money.”  
Looking at her, he shrugged his shoulders, “Yeah but that would have ruined the surprise.”  
Pushing her sunglasses onto the top of her head, Shani angled her body toward Lonny’s to get a better look at him. The baby blue short sleeved silk shirt looked good against his recently tanned skin. She knew he had acquired the tan from copious hours lying by the pool in Meyer’s backyard since he regaled her with his daily activities on the phone each night “so she wouldn’t feel lonely without him.”  
Lonny stretched his arm behind her seat, “It’s okay Shani, take it all in. I know what a few days without the godly sight of Lonny Flash can do to you. Being stared at is the price I pay for being this good looking.”  
Flicking his arm off the back of her seat, Shani pointed at his upper lip “I was just noticing how you have yet to grow back your mustache.”  
Lonny’s mouth curled into a smile at her shitty excuse, it was nice to know she was checking him out just as much as he was checking her out. “Don’t you mean my ‘porn star mustache’?”  
“I may have called it that.” Leaning forward, Shani used Lonny’s lighter to light the cigarette that was between his lips for him.  
“Thanks.” Lonny tapped the ash into the tray, “ And to answer your question, depends what my biggest fan thinks.”  
“I’m sure Sophia will miss the mustache.”  
Thinking of the blue eyed curly haired dirty blonde, Lonny smirked and asked “Did she ask about me?”  
Shani let out an exhausted sigh, “Yes, actually! The first thing she said to me after hugging me was asking where you were. It’s as if a Weiss family event can’t exist without you! Look what you did to my poor niece!”  
“What can I say? The Weiss women love me.”  
“She’s four Lonny, I know you bribed her with candy.”  
Pointing an accusatory finger at her, Lonny fired back “Like you’re one to talk! You two sneak off to eat your mother’s chocolate chip cookies before the gefilte fish is even off the table!” Lonny enjoyed the look of outrage that spread across her face, “But that’s not the point, what does Sophia’s aunt think?”  
“I don’t mind either way.” Suddenly feeling warm, Shani turned her attention to the window before shyly admitting, “Although it's a nice change of pace to see you without it.”  
It was very rare for Shani to turn shy around him but before Lonny could further exploit it, she turned back to him and asked, “Any change with Meyer?”  
“No, Jonah said he started to mumble in his sleep. You should see the kid, just spends all day watching him. He won't even go outside, not even the pull of seeing this ass in a speedo could get him.”  
“I’m surprised Meyer didn’t wake up screaming.” She joked.  
“Speaking of bathing suits, I’m sad I missed a chance to see you in one.” Pulling his sunglasses down, he looked her over “Any chance you’d model them for me?”  
“In your dreams Lonny.”  
“Oh trust me, in my dreams you’re wearing a lot less.”  
Sighing, Shani leaned her head against the seat rest and marveled at how she found him endearing even amongst this. “Anyway, Florida was fine. It was nice to see my family but as you know, I find the whole state intolerable between the constant humidity and yentes[2].”  
Lonny laughed at her as he stopped at a red light, “You’re about the only Jew in America who hates Florida.” Placing a hand on her thigh, he asked “Where are we going to retire when we’re old, if not Florida?”  
Making no move to remove his hand from her thigh, she instead pointed a finger at him, “You can do as you please but I am going to Israel to retire.”  
Lonny caught her hand and brought it to his lips before responding, “That’s not a no to us being married when we’re old and gray.”  
Smiling back at him as she caressed his cheek with her thumb, she countered, “It’s also not a yes.”  
A honk followed by a shout of “move asshole!” forced the pair to break their gaze, Lonny flipped the driver behind him off before continuing down the streets to Bensonhurst. 

Lonny turned the car engine off in front of a red brick semi-detached home that the Weiss family owned. Getting her suitcase out of the car, Lonny followed Shani up the front steps into the reprieve of shade that the white awning gave from the blazing summer sun.  
Leaning against the exterior as Shani unlocked the door, Lonny attempted to seem as nonchalant as possible, “So, do you have any plans tonight?”  
Shani continued to look at the mail as she entered her home with Lonny in tow, “Not particularly, why?”  
“Wanna get dinner tonight?”  
Dropping the mail on the dining room table, Shani turned to Lonny “What’s the special occasion?”  
Placing his hands in his pocket, Lonny leaned back and smiled “It’s a surprise.”  
“That seems ominous, should I be worried?” She regarded Lonny suspiciously, Lonny seemed almost nervous but at the same time excited.  
“Trust me, you'll like this surprise. No Hunt, just you and me.” Lonny tried to sound calm and nonchalant, “Pick you up at 7:30?”  
The excitement in his voice was beginning to worry her. The last time he said he had a surprise for her was during her family’s Peseach seder before he had jumped out during welcoming Eliyahu HaNavi[3], effectively scaring the shit out of her. Fishing for answers, she tentatively agreed “Okay, but what should I wear? Should I dress for Katz’s Deli or The Plaza Hotel?”  
“Nice try” Lonny closed the distance between them, “Dress like you’re going to the Rothchild’s Bar Mitzvah.” Lonny then leaned down and kissed her right cheek before dashing out her front door.  
“That tells me nothing Lonny!” She yelled after him “What an idiot.” 

“You look lovely” Opening her front door, Shani was met with a bouquet of red roses.  
“I hope so considering you gave me minimum advice.” Shani’s scolding was tampered by the smile she couldn’t hide as she took the roses from him, going to place them in a vase.  
“You look like a shoshana[4] yourself.” Lonny commented as he took in her figure of a red wrap dress that fell right above her knee and showed just enough cleavage.  
Grabbing her purse and his hand, Shani pulled him out of her house, “So, you gonna tell me where we are going?”  
“No, but I will say we're celebrating!”  
But before Shani could further question him, an Hungarian voice called out, “Shanalah, this pisher [5] bothering you?”  
Standing on the adjacent porch to the Weiss home was an elderly gentleman with his hands in his pant pockets watching them.  
“No, Rabbi Katz he's not.”  
“Hi Rabbi Katz”  
Glaring at Lonny he wagged his finger at him “You bring her home at a respectable hour, just cause her parents are away don’t mean she isn’t looked after. That girl needs you like a lokh in a kup [6].”  
“Goodnight Rabbi Katz” the pair had simultaneously called as they made their way to Lonny’s car.  
“You know, I get the feeling he isn't a fan of my work.”  
“He must have seen Bullets on Mars.”  
Lonny's grumbling response of “Too fucking soon!” caused Shani to fill the car with her laughter. Lonny had meant his annoyance at mention of that Aryan cockfuck but her angelic laughter caused the feeling to melt into a smile. 

“Flash, reservation for two.”  
“This way sir.”  
With her arm snuggly fit into Lonny’s elbow, the pair followed the maître d’ to a table in the back. With high vaulted ceilings, mirror lined walls and diamond chandeliers, the Cedar Steakhouse was just as glamorous as the newspaper said.  
“Lonny, what are we doing here?” having been seated and left with menus by their waiter, Shani felt that it was time for answers.  
“Having dinner and here I thought you were the brains of this relationship.” Not even looking up from the menu, Lonny continued, “I’m thinking of having the lamb chops, what about you?”  
“Lonny” Shani had never imagined that she would ever have dinner, let alone even step foot in the Cedar Steakhouse. Created by a Rothchild[7] cousin, the Cedar Steakhouse had become the premiere luxury restaurant in New York within its first year of opening.  
“Really that tone? I might as well be having dinner with my mother.” Lonny finally glanced up and was met with the annoyed stare of Shani.  
Leaning forward while lowering her voice, Shani explained “Lonny, do you know how expensive this place is? Nothing is under $50!”  
“So? Don’t worry about money.” Meeting her eyes, Lonny understood “I know, I know Holocaust survivor child guilt.” As a fellow child of survivors Lonny understood, growing up money was always tight and their parents always saved so spending a lot of money was always full of guilt. And most of all, he knew Shani hated when money was spent on her but Lonny also knew that she deserved it and more. Lonny took her left hand in his, “Just let me do this okay? We’re supposed to be celebrating!”  
Placing her right hand on top of their conjoined hands, she smiled at him, “It would help if you told me what we’re celebrating.”  
“That would ruin the surprise of it all.” Lonny smirked as he felt her fingers toy with the gold bracelet on his wrist, effectively sending shivers down his spine.  
Shani knew Lonny was getting satisfaction from this all, he was well aware of her aversion towards surprises. The problem was that she couldn’t quite get annoyed at him for it, she wished the answer was as simple as how handsome he looked in the navy suit. When her mother found out she was going out to dinner with Lonny, she responded with a prolonged pause before asking if it was a date. Shani told her that it was not but she knew it was only half the truth, things had shifted between them long before this moment. 

Lonny had planned to tell her at the end of dinner but the way she was looking at him over their dinner was making it very hard. “Remember when you said you knew there was a second act for Lonny Flash?”  
“Yes?” Shani did in fact remember, it was after she found him in the bar near Murray and Mindy’s. He had found out that he lost a role to Richard Dreyfuss and the Nazi proganda bitch called him a insecure actor, she just didn’t understand why it was brought up now.  
“Like the eshet chayil [8] you are, you were right.” Threading his fingers through hers, he continued, “My play is set to open in the Spring.”  
“Lonny”  
Lonny pressed on as if not hearing her, continuing to ramble as he looked at the other restaurant patrons, “Mind you it’s off broadway so who knows who’s gonna go see it”  
“Lonny!” Raising her voice just enough to catch his attention, she got him to look at her “Lonny, you did it! I told you it was good!”  
Kissing her hand, he gave her a sincere smile, “No, we did it.”  
In that moment Lonny felt nothing but warmth. He had spent his twenties and early thirties chasing the high he felt now with drugs and alcohol and women and men. But the happy tears in her eyes and dazzling smile that Shani aimed at him was the only thing Lonny wanted.  
“Would you like me to bring a dessert menu?” 

“I gotta admit this isn’t what I imagined when you said that you were gonna treat me to a surprise.” Lonny complained as he tried to avoid the children running around, “I was expecting less clothes, not more children.”  
Laughing as she took a spoonful of her ice cream, Shani followed Lonny out of Carvel Creamery, “Come on, ice cream is the absolute best way to celebrate.”  
“Maybe if we were also naked!” Reaching out Lonny took a spoonful of her vanilla soft serve ice cream, before winking at her as they took a seat at one of the picnic tables Carvel had in their parking lot.  
“Why? You’re already showing enough cleavage for the both of us” Shani joked as she nodded toward his half opened white silk shirt. Lonny had lost his suit jacket to her when they entered the ice cream store. Shani was enjoying the reprieve it brought from the cooled down summer night but also comfort as smelled of Lonny, nicotine and porn star cologne.  
“Like you aren’t enjoying the view” Lonny flirted as the pair simultaneously dipped their spoons into the other’s ice cream.  
Licking the chocolate sprinkled ice cream off her spoon, Shani winked at him.  
Before the pair could continue their flirting, Shani’s name was shlyly called out.  
“Hi Cheeks, Carol.” Shani greeted the pair with mixed interest. She had always found her interactions with Cheeks to be comical since he maintained a bashfulness around her stemming from their first interaction. She had first met Cheeks amongst the debacle Jonah had gotten himself into when embarrassingly asking her out despite their age gap when he was 12.  
“How are…” But Cheeks' question stopped as he took notice of Shani’s companion “Oh my god, Joanh wasn’t kidding! You’re Lonny Flash.”  
But before Lonny could turn up his superstar charm, Carol elbowed Cheeks in the ribs as if reminding him of their purpose, “Oh, right. Have you seen Jonah?”  
Carol and Cheeks watched the pair turn toward each other and have what seemed like a silent conversation with slight head nods and raised eyebrows. Turning back to the pair, Shani and Lonny simultaneously answered, “No, no idea” “Nope, haven't seen him in a while.”

Ignoring niceties, Carol bluntly cut in “So you’re telling me if I go to that rich white man Meyer whatever his name’s home, he won’t be there?”  
“We’re not his keeper sweetheart.” Lonny regarded her with disinterest as he continued to eat his ice cream.  
“Don’t lie to me!” Slamming her hands on the table, Carol continued pointing a finger at Lonny “Jonah should be with people who actually care about him! Whatever brainwashing you did to him needs to stop! And if you don’t the cops will be on your asses!”  
“Carol, you just threatened Lonny Flash!” Cheeks hissed at Carol as she continued to glare at Lonny.  
“Your threats are failing on deaf ears sweetheart,”Taking another spoonful of Shani’s ice cream, Lonny pointed at Shani as he continued, “If you’re looking for the muscle in this relationship you should be talking to her.”  
“He’s right, I am.” Leaning her chin against her palm, Shani smiled at the pair noticing them tense, “Jonah’s a big boy, he can make his own life choices but if we see him then we’ll be sure to let him know you asked for him.”  
With a final glare, Carol let Cheeks pull her away. Shaking her head at the pair, Shani stole Lonny’s last bite of ice cream. “Makes sense that Jonah has a crush on her.” Smart, strong, beautiful and takes no shit were words Shani thought of Carol and were exactly things Jonah would be attracted to.  
“How do you know?” Pushing his empty ice cream cup to the side, Lonny pulled Shani’s into the center of the table as he took another spoonful.  
“Because he told me”  
“I’m offended he doesn’t share with me, we’re Macca-bros” Placing a hand over his heart, Lonny responded in a hurt manner. “And I’m a chick magnet!”  
“You’re something alright.” Shani responded sarcastically. But that smile she gave Lonny told  
him that he was in fact right.  
“You know, I would argue that the kid was more excited to see you than me.”  
“Well, he did help Jonah stalk me for the better part of a month when they were 12.” Shani placed a finger at her chin as if contemplating before finishing, “So I was probably one of his first crushes while you’re...I’m sorry, who are you again?”  
Laughing, Lonny shook his head at her, “Excuse me, I am very famous and important.” Lonny took the last bite of her ice cream before standing and offering her his hand.  
Taking his hand, Shani responded ''Yes, but we were talking about me, remember?”  
“How could I forget? It’s one of my favorite topics.” Pulling her in by the waist, Lonny regarded her, “Ready to get out of here?”  
Looking up at him, Shani smiled as she noted that despite the dawning late hour she didn’t want tonight to end. Curling into his chest, Shani answered, “We should take the long way home.” 

Turning toward each other in front of her house, the pair smiled at each other.  
“I had a good time tonight.”  
“Well that was the intention.” Breaking her gaze to look at the dark house, Lonny turned back to her curious green eyes, “Must be lonely all alone in that big house, I can keep you company if you need.”  
Laughing at him, Shani shook her head “I think I can manage. Plus we wouldn’t want Rabbi Katz to come out brandishing his broomstick.” Taking his suit jacket off her shoulder, Shani held it out to Lonny.  
“Fine but don't call me when the Golem[9] comes to get you” Draping his suit jacket over his arm, Lonny smiled at her.  
“Goodnight Lonny” Smiling back at him, neither of them moved. The sound of a rustle of window shades reminded the pair that they were on full display for all the yentes on the block.  
“Well goodnight.” Lonny gave her a bashful smile before he made his way down the steps.  
“Wait Lonny!” Turning around, Lonny looked at Shani thoughtfully.  
Clearing her throat and ignoring the burning feeling of her cheeks, Shani placed a hand on his arm “I just wanted to tell you again how proud I am of you, you know with your play and all. You deserve it.”  
“Thanks.” Lonny felt nothing but happiness as he looked at her. Harriet had been right when she told him that “words hurt more when you believe them”, she was talking about his father’s hateful words but the opposite was true also. The knowledge that Shani was proud of him and believed in him, made everything all the more better.  
Moving forward, Shani placed a delicate kiss on his cheek before biting her lip and the pair bid each other goodnight again before going their separate ways

**Author's Note:**

> [1] Alte Kakers is a Yiddish term referring to old people  
> [2] Yente is a Yiddish term referring to a gossip  
> [3] Eliyahu HaNavi (i.e. Elijah the Prophet) was a Jewish prophet and during the Pesach seder (i.e. Passover ritual meal) there is a custom to pour a glass of wine/grape juice for Eliyahu HaNavi, invite Eliyahu HaNavi in by opening the front door and saying verses of Psalms. Therefore, in the story context Lonny would have snuck out and jumped out during the door opening to scare Shani who finds the custom ominous.  
> [4] Shoshana means rose (or lily depending on translation) in Hebrew which is also what the name Shani is a nickname for.  
> [5] Pisher is a Yiddish term referring to young, small or insignificant person  
> [6] Lokh in a kup is Yiddish for hole in the head, it’s typically an expression used to as a way to refer to something you don’t need/want  
> [7] Rothchilds refer to the well known wealthy Jewish family who during the 19th century possessed the largest private fortune in the world and in modern world history.  
> [8] Eshet Chayil translated from Hebrew is ‘a woman of valor’. It typically refers to a portion from the Book of Proverbs (chapters 31) that a husband sings to his wife before Shabbat dinner on Friday nights as an honor to her (there are other interpretations to it as well). Lonny is using it as a term of endearment to say that Shani exemplifies all the virtues stated in the poem of Eshet Chayil.  
> [9] Golem is a creature from Jewish Folklore made of inanimate matter (i.e. clay or mud) which acted as a protector or villain depending on the version told. 
> 
> Feedback is always welcome!


End file.
